Camelot, UK’s former National Lottery license holder, has vowed to go forth with its legal battle against the country’s regulator even though the UK High Court decided to lift the ban on the license transition and give it to Allwyn after Camelot held it for 28 years.
The Case Is Set to Resume in October
After the High Court allowed Allwyn to have the license for the National Lottery, Camelot expressed its disappointment and noted that it will continue its legal battle on a second front and dispute the way the UKGC awarded Allwyn the license.
Now, the case is set to continue in October and apart from Camelot, IGT, the company’s tech partner, will also pursue damages against the regulator. Back in May, Camelot stated that its whole base of operations was built around the lottery and now that the operator has lost its license, there are great chances that it can go bankrupt.
A Camelot spokesperson stated that the case on whether the Gambling Commission handed Allwyn the license “correctly and lawfully” is a separate matter and after Camelot takes some time to consider its next steps, it will continue its legal battle. The spokesperson also noted that in the meantime, Camelot will focus on building on its immense success in the past 2 years.
Richard Williams, a Keystone Law lawyer, stated that even though the High Court decided to lift the ban and award Allwyn a 10-year license for the National Lottery, the matter is not necessarily finished.
He stated that the High Court’s decision is a win for Allwyn as Camelot cannot block the process anymore. However, the judicial review could theoretically lead to “a re-run of the selection process.”
The UKGC Was Disappointed with Camelot’s Actions
After Camelot launched its legal battle, the UKGC released a statement in which it noted that it was disappointed with the decision to dispute “the outcome of a successful competition” for the license.
The regulator also noted that it took every possible step to ensure a level playing field for all parties that were interested in running the National Lottery. After Allwyn won the license, it regarded the achievement as a fresh start.
Camelot is now expected to pursue damages worth as much as £500 million ($605 million). As for Allwyn, the operator pledged to halve ticket prices to £1 ($1.2), double the money for good causes and invest in digital products.
Mrs Justice Finola O’Farrell, which lifted the suspension on Wednesday, concluded that one of the main factors that led to the suspension lift was the public interest. She also stated that maintaining the suspension until a solution is found will only “cause delay to the fourth license.”